Where an offender discloses previously unknown offences to police, sentencing judges must consider the factors in s 23(2) of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 before affording any discount, and must specify the level of discount under s 23(4). The fact that an offender attended a police station after being notified of complaints, when child protection authorities were already investigating and admissions were incomplete, does not warrant a discount for assistance. In sentencing an adult for offences committed as a juvenile, the court may have regard to the sentencing regime for juveniles for offences that would have been dealt with in the Children's Court, but not for 'serious children's indictable offences' which must be dealt with according to law. An offender's age may be relevant to objective seriousness of a sexual offence where the age difference between offender and victim affects the nature of the offending.
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